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Laïcité, Public Governance of Religion, and the Orthodox Jews in France
Author(s): Strack, Frédéric
Editor(s): Veković, Marko; Jevtić, Miroljub
Date: 2024
Topics: Main Topic: Other, Orthodox Judaism, Haredi / Strictly Orthodox Jews, Politics, Secularity, Minorities, Jewish - Non - Jewish Relations
Abstract: This chapter highlights the tightening of the notion of laïcité in France, based on the case of Orthodox Jews, since the 1980s. It shows that laïcité has become a strict principle of public governance of religion, meant to contain some religious expressions. Research has shown that laïcité is mainly designed to target religious practices of some Muslims. But it also has an impact on other communities whose religious practices have crucial importance in their daily life. Orthodox Jews constitute one of these communities. For decades, they have been able to secure local and national arrangements on a handful of issues through a specific collective action strategy, combining visibility and discretion. Yet this has proven relatively inefficient to halt this more profound trend, as some arrangements have not come to fruition or have been repealed outright. But quite surprisingly, Orthodox Jews have not changed their strategy as of the 2000s onward. This case study helps us understand the collective action of religious minorities as well as its limits in what can sometimes be quite a hostile political and social environment.